Oakfield
Wednesday Oct 31.
My dear Henry
I have so very satisfactory a description of 11 Moray Place from Mr Patterson, that I do not think we run much risk of being deceived. I wrote him a distinct letter on this point – and his answer of yesterday says, "I beg to acquaint you that 11 Moray Place is unexceptionable, as regards cleanliness & furnishings, there is no want of accommodation." The above assurance is followed by a description of the rooms on each flat – which is exactly similar in arrangement and number to the various first class houses which we have hitherto occupied: I mean Mr Sandford’s and Mr Swinton’s. – for Coates Crescent varied a little & was not so commodious – I have however written to him as you wished saying that the agreement is not to hold good, if a grave deficiency shd exist – The period of leaving may rest with ourselves, & we shall of course be guided by circumstances as the time – but you need not imagine that the attractions of early May will be powerful enough to carry off Matilda & her husband so soon – besides I imagine that the Parliament House engagement will hold them fast till much later – but there is no use in speculating on what will happen in May – (or I could write a volume especially as there are subjects which you do not seem to like discussing by letter. I am sorry that we shall not have Goodwin back until next week – he told me he expected Reuben the beginning of this week, so I had reckoned on seeing him on Saturday at latest. But after all it does not materially signify – After the term (11th November) Tilly will be able to view this house in Moray Place – after which we can give it up if anything wrong should be discovered – so it will be quite unnecessary to send Goodwin. – Tilly will judge much better of all that affects our personal comfort even than Goodwin – and she will like the commission. It will be something to interest her on her first arrival at Edinburgh. – She must be quite strong now, for she breakfasts down stairs again, and on Sunday she went to Church and was not the worse for the exertion. – She speaks of the difficulty of getting out at all, because the weather is so dripping, and the west end of their house was standing yesterday in a pool of water! It will be a good thing when she is safely settled at Edinburgh – Yesterday we had the rare exception of a beautiful day – with hot sun & summer temperatures. It was really too hot! but the scenery was in perfection; with a soft veil of vapour over the mountains – Mlle A & myself took advantage of the weather for a day’s shopping at Keswick and today they are all gone to lunch at Greta Bank – Weather warm, calm & very thick – but no rain – The two families of Spedding are setting off from Dover very soon –. Mr Headlam was staying at the Farell’s while here. – the marriage is not to take place before next summer’s vacation.
Mr Headlam expressed to me the kindest anxiety to hear of Charles doing well at Cambridge. And his friend Mr Matthison has promised to watch over him, and report if he should show any symptoms of failing health, or inability to pursue the usual course of study: And Mr Headlam will write me word how all this appears to be going on. – He again said that [illegible deletion] Dr Headlam considered that everything now depended on his own resolution to master those fancies which have afflicted him so long. and which seemed latterly to have encreased. But though we must all feel that there is cause for anxiety till his mind is restored to its usual tone, we may trust in humble hope, that it will be so in the end. Charles’s own letter to me was good & no complaint of feeling ill – He says, " I am beginning to get settled in my rooms, which are very nice ones – a fire place in both rooms. I have got a private Tutor, to whom I go for an hour on Tuesdays Thursdays & Saturdays. Chapel each morning at 7. – half an hours walk till breakfast at 8. Mathematical lecture from 9 to 10. Classical lecture from 10 to 11… This is a good beginning & still leaves many hours of leisure if he doesn’t chuse to study further. He had met a great many Harrow men. and the Harrow game of football had begun and he had joined it –
Major or rather Col. Wake has just called – so I must close this abruptly.
Your affectionate
Constance.
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esr.
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire